Leveling device

ABSTRACT

A device for leveling metal sheets being enrolled and fed to a press comprising pinch rolls for initially feeding the material, and a plurality of pairs of upper and lower leveling rolls. Each pair comprises two rolls in tandem, the pairs being alternately above and below the sheet. A single roll beneath the sheet is disposed between the pinch rolls and the first pair of leveling rolls, and three single rolls are disposed alternately above and below the sheet after the last pair of leveling rolls.

United States Patent Glenn R. Bunnell Dearborn, Mich.

May 15, 1969 July 27, 1971 Special Engineering Service. Inc. Dear-born, Mich.

inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee LEVELING DEVICE 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

0.8. CI. Int. Cl Field of Search 72/164 B2ld 1/02 72/164, 160, 165

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1912 Hughes 72/164 2185,48] 1/1940 Ungerer 72/164 2,248,088 7/1941 Kane 72/164 X 2,504,292 4/1950 Anderson 72/164 2,920,678 1/1960 Cunningham et al. 72/164 3,289,448 12/1966 Wiig 72/164 X 3,459,022 8/1969 Hagemann 72/164 X Primary E,raminerMilt0n S. Mehr A!torneyHarness, Dickey and Pierce ABSTRACT: A device for leveling metal sheets being enrolled and fed to a press comprising pinch rolls for initially feeding the material, and a plurality of pairs of upper and lower leveling rolls. Each pair comprises two rolls in tandem, the pairs being alternately above and below the sheet. A single roll beneath the sheet is disposed between the pinch rolls and the first pair of leveling rolls, and three single rolls are disposed alternately above and below the sheet after the last pair of leveling rolls.

LEVELING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to devices for leveling metal sheets unwound from rolls and fed into a press.

2. Description of the Prior Art Conventional leveling devices comprise upper and lower rolls between which the sheet is fed. These rolls are single rolls, each succeeding roll being on the opposite side of the sheet. There is a vertical overlap between adjacent rolls to create an over-bend in the sheet, the flexing of the material changing its internal structure to eliminate the coil bend.

It has been found that with certain thin sheets, for example steel sheets of between 0.030 inch and 0.040 inch thickness, cracks sometimes develop in the sheet when it is stopped while disposed between these conventional rollers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention, the leveling device comprises a plurality of pairs of rolls instead of single rolls, the pairs being alternately above and below the sheet. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower pairs of rolls are stationary and the upper pairs are adjustable vertically to accommodate different thicknesses of material. The rolls are supported by a U-shaped frame at the beginning of which is a pair of pinch rolls for initially feeding the material. A single roll is disposed between these pinch rolls and the first pair of rolls, and three single rolls are mounted after the last pair of rolls, alternately above and below the sheet.

It has been found that use of this invention eliminates cracking, even for relatively thin sheets. BRIEF DESCRIP- TION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a leveling device constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device, parts being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view in elevation taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and showing the means for adjusting the upper rolls; and

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the device taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of FIG. 1, parts being sectioned.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The device comprises a frame generally indicated at 11 having a bottom plate 12 and a pair of sidewalls 13 and 14 on opposite sides thereof, as seen in FIG. 4. The upper ends of walls 13 and 14 have flanges l and 16 respectively, to which is secured an upper plate 17 by means of bolts 18. Plate 17 extends laterally on both sides of frame 11, and a housing 19 rests on plate 17. The leveling device has a vertical plate 21 at its left-hand end as seen in FIG. 1, adapted for attachment to a feed mechanism for a press shown partially in dot-dash lines at 22.

The entrance to the leveling device, at the right-hand end as seen in FIG. I, is provided with a pair of adjustable side guides 23 and 24 on a mount 25 for receiving and guiding the stock 26 being fed into the device. A pair of pinch rolls 27 and 28 are provided within frame 11 adjacent guides 23 and 24. As seen in FIG. 3, roll 28 is mounted on a shaft 29 supported by ball bearings 31 in plates 13 and 14 respectively. A handle (not shown) may be manually applied to the left-hand end of shaft 29 as seen in FIG. 3, rotating the shaft to initially run the material into the device. Upper roll 27 is adjustable by means of screws 32 threaded in vertically slidable blocks 33 which carry a shaft 34, roll 27 being mounted on shaft 34 by bearings 35. A tensioning device 36 is connected to a lower roll 28 for maintaining tension on relatively light stock, the tensioning device being anchored at 37 to sidewall 13.

A single roll 38 is rotatably mounted between walls 13 and 14 at the exit side of pinch rolls 27 and 28. This roll is disposed below the stock and is not adjustable.

Past roll 27 are three pairs of leveling rolls, the pairs being indicated at 39, 41 and 42 respectively, in FIG. 1. Pairs 39 and 42 are disposed above stock 26, whereas pair 41 is disposed below the stock. Each pair comprises two rolls, the rolls in pair 39 being indicated at 43 and 44, those in pair 41 being shown at 45 and 46, and those in pair 42 are being designated as 47 and 48.

The two rolls in each of pairs 39 and 42 are rotatably mounted in blocks 49, these blocks being vertically movable in guide slots 51 formed in the upper portions of walls 13 and 14. The means for mounting each roll in its block comprises a shaft 52 and bearings 53 carried by the shaft and supporting a roll, as shown in FIG. 4. Blocks 49 are mainly disposed on the outsides of the frame sidewalls and are guided by stationary blocks 54 secured to the sidewalls adjacent slots 51. Rolls 45 and 46 are not adjustable, being mounted on shafts 55 by means of bearings 56. Members 57 secured to sidewall 13 prevent rotation of shafts 55 as well as the shaft which supports roll 38.

Three single rolls 58,59 and 61 are located past the last pair of rolls 42. Of these, rolls 58 and 61 are below the stock and roll 59 is above. Rolls 58 and 61 are mounted similarly to rolls 38, 45 and 46, that is they are not adjustable, whereas roll 59 is adjustable in a vertical direction.

The means for adjusting pairs of rolls 39 and 42 and rolls 27 and 59 each comprises a shaft 62 extending across housing 19. Each shaft 62 has a pair of worm gears 63 mounted thereon, these worm gears meshing with worm wheels 64 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 4. Worm wheels 64 are secured to the upper ends of adjusting screws 65 which are mounted in blocks 33 and 49, screws 65 being rotatably mounted in housing 19 and extending downwardly therefrom outside walls 13.and 14. The arrangement is such that a handcrank (not shown) may be applied to either end of any shaft-62 and rotated to raise or lower blocks 33 and 49 which receive screws 65. Each worm gear 63 and its associated worm wheel 64 are enclosed by a housing 66 within housing 19.

In operation, stock 26 will be fed through pinch rolls 27 and 28 and then through the leveling rolls, The stock will be pulled through the leveling device by feed mechanism 22, although other means for transporting the stock could be used within the principles of the invention. As the stock moves through the leveling device, the successive pairs of rolls 39, 41 and 42 will flex the stock in such a way as to eliminate the coil bend and form a level sheet. It has been found that with the use of this device, there will be no danger ofcracking of the material when the movement is stopped, even though the material is quite light, such as the critical range of thickness of 0.030 inch to 0.040 inch mentioned above.

Iclaim:

1. In a leveling device for relatively thin metal sheet being taken from a coil, a frame having a pair of sidewalls, at least three pairs of leveling rolls extending between said sidewalls, successive pairs of rolls being located on opposite sides of the stock, whereby the stock will engage both rolls of a pair on one side and then both rolls of a pair on the other side as it passes through the leveling device, means for simultaneously adjusting both rolls of each pair of rolls on one side of said stock transversely to the stock so that there is a vertical overlap between adjacent rolls on opposite sides of the stock to create an over'bend in the sheet, and :means interconnecting the adjusting means at the opposite endsof each pair of said adjustable rolls whereby said opposite ends will be adjusted in unison.

2. The combination according to claim I, said adjusting means comprising two blocks for each pair of rolls slidably mounted in said sidewalls, and rotating screw means for adjusting said blocks.

3. The combination according to claim 2, further provided with an adjusting shaft for each pair of rolls extending across said sidewalls, a pair of worm gears on each shaft, and a pair of worm wheels mounted on said screws and meshing with said worm gears.

4. The combination according to claim 1, further provided with three single rolls after the last pair of rolls, said three single rolls being successively on opposite sides of said stock. 

1. In a leveling device for relatively thin metal sheet being taken from a coil, a frame having a pair of sidewalls, at least three pairs of leveling rolls extending between said sidewalls, successive pairs of Rolls being located on opposite sides of the stock, whereby the stock will engage both rolls of a pair on one side and then both rolls of a pair on the other side as it passes through the leveling device, means for simultaneously adjusting both rolls of each pair of rolls on one side of said stock transversely to the stock so that there is a vertical overlap between adjacent rolls on opposite sides of the stock to create an over-bend in the sheet, and means interconnecting the adjusting means at the opposite ends of each pair of said adjustable rolls whereby said opposite ends will be adjusted in unison.
 2. The combination according to claim 1, said adjusting means comprising two blocks for each pair of rolls slidably mounted in said sidewalls, and rotating screw means for adjusting said blocks.
 3. The combination according to claim 2, further provided with an adjusting shaft for each pair of rolls extending across said sidewalls, a pair of worm gears on each shaft, and a pair of worm wheels mounted on said screws and meshing with said worm gears.
 4. The combination according to claim 1, further provided with three single rolls after the last pair of rolls, said three single rolls being successively on opposite sides of said stock.
 5. The combination according to claim 4, further provided with a single roll before the first of said pairs of rolls and on the side of the stock opposite said first pair of rolls. 